Proposed Wise plant up against obstacle

The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board will now control the fate of Dominion Virginia Power’s proposed $1.8 billion coal-fired power plant in Wise County, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The board voted 3-2 Thursday night to take over the permitting process from the Department of Environmental Quality. The DEQ typically manages the permitting process, but the citizen-controlled air pollution board can take over when many citizens have raised concerns about a project.

Environmentalists are concerned about the amount of pollutants the plant would release.

Dominion representatives said they were disappointed by the decision and are concerned it would delay the project. Any delay, they argue, would increase the cost of the plant for Dominion and its customers.